Adjustable post-hole digger.



No. 654,909. Paientedml 31,1900.

c. L. MoNnoE. t ADJUSTBLE POST HOLE BIGGER.

- (Application med Jan. 1s. 1900.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED Siri-rms PATENT Clarion.

y i OHALMERS` L. MONROE, OF GENEVA, WEST VIRGINIA.

ADJUSTABLE POST-HOLE DIGGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 654,909, dated July 31, 1900.

` l Application iiled January 18, 1900. Serial No. 1.917. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHALMERS L. MONROE, a citizen of the United States", residing at Geneva, in the county of Roane and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Post-Hole Digger,of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to improvements in adjustable post-hole diggers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the constrn ction of post-hole diggers, more especially that shown and described in Patent No. 634,902, granted to me October 17, 1899, and to `provide a simple, inexpensive, and strong construction for enabling the mem- 'bers which carry the shovels or blades to be 4 view of a post-hole diggerrconstructed in ac-V cordance with this invention. longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail view of one of the-bars or meinbers. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the other bar or member. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 and 2 designate two members composed of metal shanks 3 and Lland wooden handles of the desired length secured to the inner ends of the Shanks, which are provided at their outer ends with segmental portions and which have blades or shovels 5 and 6 secured to them.

The post-hole digger is capable of the same adjustment as that shown and described in the patent above referred to, it being adapted to be used when the ground is sufliciently soft with the blades or'shovels opposite each other or infthesaine planegfbutwhn the ground is hard or stony or 4when it is neces- Fig. 2 is aV 4movement of the parts.

`sary to remove roots one of A the blades is ex- -tended beyond `the other to enable (thereof and at a point adjacent to the inner end. This slot receives a pair of fastening deviceslO and 11, mounted on the shank of the other member and consisting of jbolts,

pins, or thelike. The fastening devices 10 4and 1l (shownin Figs. 2 and 5 of the accompanying drawings) are provided at Aone side of the post-hole digger with heads and are secured at the opposite side by means of keys 12 and 13, and they are laterally odset from each other, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. The inner fastening device 11 forms a pivot for the n1em-V ber 1, and the latter is adapted to be oscillated onthe member 2 to carry the outer fastening device into and out of engagement with either of the transverse recesses or branches 8 and 9 of the slot 7. When the` memberl is arranged at a slight angle to the Amember 2 to arrange the fastening devices 10 and 11 in alinement with the slot, the said member 1 is adapted to be moved inward and outward longitudinally to arrange the fastening devices adjacent to either ofthejtransverse branches or recesses. When'the'buter fastening device 10 is opposite either of the transverse branches or recesses 8 and 9, the members are adapted to be operated on each 4other to carry the said outer fastening device into the transverse branch or recess, the inner fastening device forming the pivot for such When the members are in alinement or closed, the inner fastening device 11 is arranged in the longitudinal slot and the outer fastening device 10 is received within the adjacent transverse branch or recess,whereby the two members are locked against longitudinal movement on each other and they are effectually prevented from slipping while the post-hole diggeris in use.- Y

It will be seen that'thelongitudinal slotnof the member 1, with its transverse `extensions or branches, and the laterally-offset 'or" di- IOO e y i i l 654,909 f vagonally-alined fastening devices forma sml arranged to en gage theftransvlerse branches ple and effective connection between the members and-Will enable the same to be readily moved longitudinally of each other andquickly locked at either adjustment to arrange the `blades opposite each other, as illustratedin Fig.- lof the drawings, when it is desired to operate on comparatively-soft soil.

It will also be clear that the post-hole digger is adapted to be adjusted to arrange one of the blades or shovels in advance of the other for operating on hard or stony ground, and the transverse branches or extensions of the longitudinal slot are of sufcient length to enable the blades to be swung inward into contact with each other to clamp the soil, so that loose earth may be readily removed from a post-hole. When the post-hole digger is in i use and the members are in alinement, the

fastening devices and the slots form a solid lock and prevent either of the paris from slipping. A

What isclaimed isl. `A device of the class described com prising the member 1 provided with a longitudinal slotjhaving transverse lbranches or extensions, and the member 2 provided witha pair of fastening devices passing through the' said slot, one of the fastening devices being .orextensionsg substantially as described.

2. A device ofthe class described comprising the bar or member l provided with alonis adapted to 'engage the branches or extensions, substantially as described.

3. A device ofthe class described comprising the member l provided with a longitudinal slot having transverse extensions, the

rmember 2 provided with laterally-oset diagonally-aimed fastening devices passing through the said slot, one ofthe fastening devices forming a pivot and the other being adapted to engage the transverse extensions of the slot, and blades orf shovels carried by the members', substantiallyy as described.

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aixed my signature in `the presence of two witnesses.

, OHALMERS L. MONROE.

Witnesses: C. S. VANDAL,

J. F. M'CWILLIAMS. 

